Officers
across Southern Division are being ably assisted
by the Constabulary’s Air Support Unit in
an initiative to prevent cars being stolen on
cold frosty mornings.

Operation
Cold Start which is being carried out during the
winter months, specifically targets areas in the
Division where unattended vehicles have been stolen.
The thefts have occurred when cars have been left
running with the keys in the ignition by their
owners to defrost on cold frosty mornings.

The
police helicopter has been helping by flying over
those areas where these thefts are known to happen
and on some occasions pinpointing those vehicles
that are left running unattended.

Yesterday
morning (Monday 17th December) Operation Cold
Start took place across the Chorley area and 17
vehicles were spotted as being unattended and
left running on driveways.

PC
Gareth Dixon who is a dog handler at HQ used his
local knowledge to patrol the areas of Parbold,
Appley Bridge and Eccleston and spotted these
vehicles. The majority of cars were found in Eccleston
followed by Parbold and then Appley Bridge and
amongst those cars left unattended were a BMW
X5, Golf GTI and a Volvo S70. On each occasion
PC Dixon turned the vehicles off and knocked on
the door of properties to return the keys and
offer crime prevention advice.

PC
Dixon commented,” Despite the numerous warnings
about this kind of activity people are still continuing
to leave their cars in this state. Most people
I spoke to were appreciative about the advice
but others were not as receptive – perhaps
they were embarrassed about what they had done.”

Officers
in Bamber Bridge have also being carrying out
this Operation particularly on the Holland House
estate which has had vehicles stolen from in the
past.

Officers
have been patrolling the estate on frosty mornings,
offering crime prevention advice and providing
a visible presence in the hope of deterring thieves
who actively seek such vehicles to steal on cold
mornings. Several owners have been spoken to and
have thanked the police for the advice offered.
It should also be noted that owner’s car
Insurance can be invalidated in such circumstances.

HESKETH
BANK "HAMMER & HANDGUN" BURGLARY

10/12/07

Police
in West Lancashire appeal for information after
Burglary at Hesketh Bank

Police
in West Lancashire are appealing for information
after a Burglary took place on Chapel Road at
approx 4.48am on Saturday 8th December.

The
three occupants who were in the kitchen at the
time were confronted by three males wearing balaclavas,
who had gained entry to the property via an insecure
door and who were armed with a handgun and a hammer.

The
males threatened the occupants and demanded money
from them. Two of the occupants were assaulted
by the males, with one being struck on the head
with the handgun and the other being punched in
the face and hit on the knee with a hammer. The
female occupant was threatened but not injured.
The offenders then made off from the scene without
any money or property in a maroon Astra.

It
is believed that all three offenders were male
with one speaking with a Liverpool accent and
the other two with Manchester accents. One offender
was described as being 6ft wearing a black tracksuit.

DS
Greg Carlton commented, “ The occupants
of the property were very shaken up by this incident
with two of them receiving injuries. If anyone
saw the offenders making from the property or
anything suspicious I would urge them to get in
touch.”

Anyone
with any information can contact Ormskirk CID
on 01695 566441 or via Southern Communications
Centre on 0845 1 25 35 45. Information can also
be given about crime anonymously by telephoning
Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

CHRISTMAS
CRIME CRACKDOWN

07/12/07

As
part of "Operation Shepherd", Police
in Southern Division will be issuing advice and
carrying out various initiatives to make sure
people stay safe this Christmas.

This
comes as part of a countywide crackdown on Christmas
crime. Operation Shepherd which is currently running
throughout Lancashire which seeks to reduce crime
and disorder as well as alcohol related crime
over the Christmas period.

Chief
Inspector Dave Robinson commented,” Throughout
December and over the Christmas period alcohol
related incidents and crimes traditionally increase.
In particular increases are seen in violent crime,
antisocial behaviour and disorder, criminal damage,
domestic violence and drink driving.

In
Southern Division the detection rates for violence
are at an all time high, with over 60% of all
violent crime being detected with offenders being
brought to justice and dealt with either by caution
or through the courts. Throughout the Christmas
period this should act as a warning to those who
cause violence that they can expect to be caught
and face the consequences. “

As
part of Operation Shepherd, Southern Division’s
Neighbourhood Policing Teams will be highly visible
in and around the town centres cracking down on
all Town Centre crime both in the daytime and
at night.

Police
have and will be issuing crime prevention advice
in the weeks leading up to Christmas to help people
avoid falling victim to thieves:-

Always close car windows and the sunroof and
lock the doors, activating any security devices
when leaving your car unattended.

Park with care, particularly at night or if
you are leaving the vehicle for a long time
and if possible, park in a busy, well-lit
area.

Never
leave cash, credit cards, chequebook, mobile
phones, vehicle documents or other valuables
in the car.

Don’t return to your car to drop things
off, if you have to, make sure they are well
hidden and always check out the area to see
who may be watching (If you have no choice
but to do so, make sure they are hidden well
out of sight before you begin your journey
- thieves may be watching you park!)

Keys - keep them safe. Never leave them in
the car, even for a second - treat them as
you would your cash and credit cards.

Make sure keys are kept in a secure place
at home and at work - burglars have been known
to break into houses and offices to steal
car keys.

If you see anything unusual or suspicious, call
the police immediately on 0845 1 25 35 45. In
an emergency dial 999.

POLICE
ASK FOR VIGILANCE

28/11/07

Police
tonight appealed for residents to be vigilant
after a series of burglaries and car thefts occurred
over the last few days. Banks, Mere Brow, Tarleton
and Hesketh Bank have all been targeted.

Local
Policeman Phil Corrigan appealed for residents
to take extra care with all property, keeping
doors and cars locked whenever possible and to
report any suspicious activity immediately.

For
non emergencies please ring the police on 0845
1253545

FREE
SWIMMING & BADMINTON?

12/11/07

Tarleton
High School is currently recruiting members of
the general public as 'Mystery Shoppers' for the
Swimming Pool and Sports Hall. The School is offering
to reimburse costs in return for a short feedback
report on how they are performing.

I
would like to respond to Mrs J Unwin’s letter
in the Southport Visiter dated 2nd November 2007.

As
I stated in my previous letter the opinions stated
were my own and in no way reflected the views
of the Parish Council. In fact the Parish Council
put forward an objection citing two ‘areas
of concern’. These will be accepted by the
planning dept because we had arranged for an extension
of the deadline for comments. I do wish Mrs Unwin
had asked her husband about this as he was at
the meeting when the clerk was instructed to ask
for the extension.

I
would also like to point out that I was elected
to represent ALL ward members of North Meols without
favour. I do not have the luxury of picking and
choosing who to support and who not to. People
do not lose their right to representation just
because their employer submits a planning application.

My
first priority is the wellbeing and sustainability
of this village as a living community. We must
support local industry, and farming is an industry,
if Banks is to survive as a village as opposed
to becoming a dormitory for Southport, Preston
and Manchester . Maybe that is what the majority
of the residents of Banks want and if it is then
let me know and I will try and ensure that that
happens.

Addressing
the point about flooding; Flavourfresh has submitted
plans to mitigate this problem and these can be
seen on the planning portal ref. 2007/1220/FUL.

I
have looked at the correspondence on the website
to do with this application and I found a letter
dated 24 October 2007 from Cambridge Glass which
stated “Following discussions with the neighbour
at Shore House the length of the greenhouses will
be shortened by 40 metres.”

This
letter can be read at http://webdocs.westlancsdc.gov.uk/AnitePublicDocs/00176099.pdf.
I am making no further comment, but will let readers
make up there own minds about the significance
of this.

Another
planning application was briefly discussed at
the meeting, one which will cause far more damage
to the village than the greenhouses, but the objectors
completely ignored that. Could there be an element
of NIMBYism at play here? If not I would ask that
those people who are objecting to the greenhouse
proposals on environmental grounds to get involved
in stopping the Glebe Lane housing development,
which is the wrong development in the wrong place.
It is wrong on environmental, road safety and
affordability grounds.

Come
and prove me wrong and let us do something together
that will really benefit the village.

As
a final point my personal opinion of the greenhouses
is that they are a monstrosity, I also loath tomatoes
with a passion, and, if they were the first greenhouses
to be erected, I would be fighting the proposal
tooth and nail. However, they are not the first
and I doubt very much if they will be the last.
So, as they are part of the rural industry however
unpalatable it is, if we want our local rural
industry to survive we need to accept that these
things are the way ahead or possibly lose the
jobs to Humberside and the Isle of Wight .

Dr
David Vickers

POLICE WARNING TO TROUBLEMAKERS

17/10/07

As Halloween and Bonfire Night approaches, Police
across Southern Division have already commenced
their policing operation to support the Lancashire
Fire and Rescue Services Bright Sparx campaign.

The
period starting in late October through to early
November is often associated with an increase
in juvenile related crimes and disorder, often
involving fireworks.

Chief
Inspector Dave Robinson who is in charge of Geographic
policing for the Division commented,” This
time of year usually sees a significant increase
in anti-social behaviour incidents and Criminal
Damage. It is the minority of people that engage
in this kind of behaviour that spoil this time
of year for the rest of our communities affecting
their quality of life.

Traditionally this time of the year proves to
be a very busy one for the police with more calls
being received and more incidents to attend to.
We will be working alongside our partner agencies
to enforce legislation and robustly deal with
those that cause trouble.

Officers
are out in force to clamp down on anyone causing
trouble and those that do could face fines or
arrest and may possibly end up before the courts
with criminal convictions that will affect the
rest of their lives. Enjoy this time of year but
do so sensibly, safely, and legally.”

RURAL ROADS DEATH TOLL

03/10/07

Car users are three times more likely to die on
a country road than an urban one, according to
new figures from the Department for Transport.

Launching
a safety campaign targeting rural drivers, the
Department for Transport said there was often
only one car involved in rural accidents which
indicated that drivers had been tempted to push
themselves or their car beyond their limits.

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: "The
'national' 60mph speed limit is a maximum, not
an expectation, and drivers must match their speed
to the road characteristics and weather conditions
they are experiencing."

The
aim of the THINK! Rural Speed Campaign is to communicate
to motorists that the problem isn't just speeding,
but driving too fast for the conditions.

Driving
inappropriately for the conditions can include:

Approaching
a bend or junction too fast and without caution.

Not negotiating narrow roads properly.

Overtaking on an approach to a bend or where
forward visibility is restricted.

A proposal by Flavourfresh to erect greenhouses
on the Marsh Road field has sparked a number of
recent protests but 'SAVE THE Field' campaigners
now claim a that the field supports a colony of
rare Whiskered Bats.

Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus).
Photo: wikipedia

Campaigners
have commissioned a specialist bat survey which
was carried out last night and eight bats were
claimed to have been spotted. Local Authority
officials were allerted to the find in an email
late last night.

Typically,
whiskered bats have a head-and-body length of
35 to 48 mm and weight between 4 and 8 gm. They
have dark brown upper-parts with greyish white
under-parts. Their faces, ears and wing membranes
are dark grey/black. The Whiskered Bat is widespread
throughout Wales although numbers of the bat are
not thought to be particularly plentiful. The
species is well established across Europe.

Although
they were only found to be a different species
in 1970 the bats have no conservation status and
are not listed by the IUCN however all bats in
the UK are protected nationally by the Wildlife
and Countryside Act 1981.

CRIME
PREVENTION WARNING

21/09/07

This
is an urgent police message to everyone in Chorley,
South Ribble and West Lancashire.

At
around 11am on Thursday 20th Sept. bogus officials
called at the home of an 87 year old lady who
lives alone, and stole cash and property. There
were 2 offenders who said they were working on
a burst water pipe nearby and needed to run some
water off from the system.One male distracted
the lady while a 2nd male searched the property
and stole property. One offender is described
as a white male, aged 40-50 yrs, 5`6" tall,
stocky build with strong Irish accent. He had
short dark brown hair and was wearing a grey double-breated
suit jacket and gloves. We have no description
of the 2nd offender.

PLEASE
NOTE that they were using the following
vehicle which is wanted by Police in connection
to other burgaries acropss the North West. The
vehicle is a grey or silver VW Golf reg no. YE56
LVL these are false plates. Any sightings of this
vehicle should be reported to the Police immediately.

FIELD
FACTS
- FLAVOURFRESH RESPOND

29/08/07

Dear
Editor,

I feel I must respond to the issues raised by
the save the field campaign. The field in question
is part the Flavourfresh Salads glasshouse nursery
on Marsh Rd. The company is owned by three local
growers and has been a glasshouse nursery site
growing tomatoes since the late 1960s. We are
a local firm producing tomatoes that are not only
sold to the major supermarkets but also through
local farm shops and the Southport Farmers market.

In these days of concern about ' food miles' we
feel it is vital to maintain primary production
of food in an area that has been a traditional
market garden area for at least the last 100 years.
We are also a major employer within this area,
with a full-time staff of over 140 people most
of whom live in the Banks, Hesketh Bank and Southport
area.

The facts of the proposed new glasshouse are these:-

1. The glasshouse size is 3.5 acres not 5 acres.

2. The field on whiich the glasshouse is to be
built was up to 2003 used to grow salad crops
(lettuce and celery).For the last 4 years it has
been rented out to one of our employees to grow
hay and to graze horses. This is prime agricultural
land which has been and will be nurtured and cultivated
to produce food crops as it has done for the last
100 years.

3. The new greenhouse will be heated using the
existing boilers on site without needing any extra
capacity. This is because we have over the last
three years invested heavily in themal screens
which has enabled us to reduce our energy input
by 15-20%.

4. The crops grown in this glasshouse will be
grown in the soil organically, and grown to the
strict organic specifications laid down by the
British Soil Association.

5. The new glasshouse will create between 10-12
extra full-time jobs.

6. The CO2 that will be used in this glasshouse
will be provided by diverting the flue gases from
the existing boilers into the glasshouse. The
plants will then use the co2 to aid growth instead
of it being released into the atmosphere.

7. There is no intention to light this glasshouse
for overwintered crops.

8. The product produced by this glasshouse will
be transported to our customers on existing transport,
so will not lead to any increase in HGV traffic.

To conclude, we are a locol company producing
top quality, local produce in a area that has
a long history of renowned agricultural and horticultural
expertise, and in which we are trying to sustain
this tradition and employment for the future,

Yours Sincerely

Mick Fradsham, M.D. Flavourfresh Salads
Ltd
29th August 2007

SAVE
THE FIELD CAMPAIGN

23/08/07

Dear
Editor,
We are a group trying to prevent a field on Marsh
Road (currently an excellent barn and little owl
habitat of 5 acres) from being covered in 20ft
high greenhouses to produce organic tomatoes for
Marks and Spencer.

Barn
owls are often seen hunting on the field and a
regular little owl nest site is nearby. The Three
Owls bird Sanctuary has used it as a release site
for rehabilitated owls for 8 years. Please see
our website www.savethefield.co.uk
for details.

The
owners of the field, Flavourfresh, are applying
for planning permission that shows the entire
field will be covered right up to Marsh road.
By a horrible irony the quality of the site as
a habitat also means the soil association will
grant it 'organic status' which is why Marks and
Spencer want to grow tomatoes there - covering
it in industrial greenhouses then heating it,
lighting it and then finally pumping co2 in.This
will utterly destroy any value it has overnight
AND managing to spoil the look of part of Banks
for ever.

We
already have over 200 signitures on our petition
- many are concerned about the visual impact of
the scheme and any increase in HGV traffic.

We
need the public to help urgently. WE NEED LETTERS
OF OBJECTION SUBMITTING TO WEST LANCS PLANNING.

If you wish to object please, please write to:
Mr K Usher Area Planning Officer PO Box 16. 52
Derby St. Ormskirk. Lancs. L39 2DF and detail
your objections. You may like to refer to some
of the issues raised above, but please be sure
to include the reference number (Planning application
reference number 2007/0885/ful) and state clearly
that you wish the council to reject the application.

Received
13:22 22nd August:
Information has been received from Tradings Standards
in Merseyside, regarding the poor trading practices
of 2 companies currently operating in this area.
They cold call on elderley residents offering
to
carry out property maintenance. The work is of
poor quality, unecessary and extortionate prices
are then charged. If challenged the workmen become
aggressive. These companies trade under the names
of Eaves Protector and Top
Notch Tree Care.

Trading
Standards advise you not to trade with either
of these companies. If you have any contact from
them please contact Tradings Stds service on 0151-443-4744.
If you need any advice the Consumer helpline is
08454-040506.

CRIME
PREVENTION WARNING

14/08/07

Received
4pm 14th August:
This is a message to everyone in the West Lancashire
area. There has been a crime trend recently when
high value cars have been stolen from driveways
of houses. This trend is not unfamiliar and has
occurred from time to time in different areas of
West Lancashire. The latest cars have all been stolen
from the Appley Bridge area but these offenders
will target anywhere where they see high value cars
parked on driveways. The Police are asking any owners
of high value vehicles to park them in a garage
where possible, or behind locked gates or barriers.
Do not leave keys on show near doors and windows
and do not leave valuables in your vehicles. These
offenders will drive through an area on more than
one occasion to identify the cars they want to steal
so please be extra vigilant and report any suspicious
activity to the Police immediately.

JOHN
FORMBY - FAMILY HISTORY SOUGHT

06/08/07

Dear
Editor.
I am seeking information about John Formby, born
in North Meols in 1819. In 1842 he married my
Gt, gt, gt Grandmother Mary Caroline McCormick.
In the 1881 census, having been recently widowed
he was back in North Meols. Occupation - Pensioner
Army. Address 210 Hart Street. Head of Household
John Keen. If anyone can cast any more light on
him i would be most grateful.
Many ThanksPete McNally
Ayelet Hashahar, Upper Galilee, 12200, Israel.
Email mcnally (at) ayelet.org.il

Police
in West Lancashire are appealing for information
after a Post Office on Church Road in Banks was
burgled.

The
incident happened at 01.13 hours on Friday 27th
July when the offenders forced their entry into
the premises and into the rear post office counter
area. It is believed that the offenders were disturbed
by the alarm activating before leaving the premises
with an amount of cash.

A
male wearing dark clothing was seen at the front
of the property at the time of the incident.

Local
police are appealing for anyone that was in the
area at the time or may have seen anyone acting
suspiciously to get in contact with them.

Anyone
with any information can contact Ormskirk CID on
01695 566443 or via Southern Communications Centre
on 0845 1 25 35 45. Information can also be given
about crime anonymously by telephoning Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111.

LOST
DOG

26/06/07

Please
can you advertise my dog as lost. His name is
Louis and he is a little white Bichon Fris.
He is missing from Chapel Lane in Banks as of
yesterday afternoon 25.06.07. There is a reward
for his return and my children are beside themselves
with worry. Any information good or bad would
be appreciated.
Regards,
F Mohan, fiona (at) garrickoutdoor.co.uk 01772
816414

CRIME
PREVENTION UPDATE

24/05/07

This
is an urgent message to everyone in the West
Lancashire area. Earlier this month we issued
a warning about a team of bogus officials claiming
to be from the Water Board who were targeting
the homes of elderly residents to steal cash.
Yesterday there were a further 3 incidents where
this team conned their way into the homes of
elderly people in Burscough and Tarleton and
stole significant amounts of cash. There are
2 men both are white males, one with an Irish
accent. They can be smartly dressed or wearing
boiler suits.

Please
do not let anyone into your home that you do
not know. If they say they are from an official
organisation, do not let them in but ask them
to call back. You should then phone the organisation
they claim to be from and check whether they
have people working in the area. If you are
at all suspicious please notify the Police immediately.

MORE
"DISTRACTION" BURGULARIES

03/05/07

Latest
from the Crime Prevention unit at Skemersdale:
This is an urgent warning message for all Neighbourhood
Watch members in the West Lancs, Chorely and
Leyland areas. Over the past 2 days there have
been 4 distraction burglaries where a man has
conned his way into the homes of elderly people
and stolen a considerable sum of money.

He
has committed offences in Ormskirk, Burscough,
Rufford and Much Hoole but could operate anywhere.
Up to now the man has claimed to be from the
Waterboard but he could use any excuse.

At
one incident he was dressed in a blue boiler
suit but at another he was more smartly dressed
wearing a white shirt and dark trousers. Please
be on the look-out for this man who is described
a s a white male about 5`6" tall. (No further
details). Please make your neighbours aware
of these incidents. Remember - Do NOT let anyone
into your home who you do not know. If you are
at all suspicious please contact the Police
immediately.

LANCASHIRE
PUB WALKS GUIDE LAUNCHED

25/04/07

Local
author Ron Freethy launches his latest
book tomorrow - a pocket sized collection
of circular walks in Lancashire. Each
of the fifteen walks in the book is based
on a local pub serving good food.

It
includes routes near Carnforth, Garstang,
Blackburn, Bury, Southport and Oldham,
with maps and photographs. The book costs
£5.99 and is available from local
book sellers and online at Amazon.

MISSING
GIRL FOUND

19/04/07

POLICE
have announced that they have now found fifteen
year old Chloe McGuinness safe and well.

POLICE
CONCERN FOR MISSING GIRL

19/04/07

POLICE
in Ormskirk are becoming increasingly concerned
for the safety of a missing female.

Fifteen year old Chloe McGuinness is from
The Green Lane in Burscough and was last
seen by her mother as she went to bed
last night (Wednesday 18th April). When
her mother went to wake her this morning
at 06.40hrs she was not in her bed.

She
is described as white, approx 5ft 5 tall
with shoulder length hair with blonde
and brown hi-lights and blue eyes possibly
wearing pink pyjamas

Inspector
Kevin Otter commented: "We are growing
increasingly concerned about Chloe and
where she is. She is a vulnerable female
and has gone missing before. We would
urge Chloe to get in contact with the
police or her family to let us know she
is ok. We would also appeal to members
of the public with any information as
to her whereabouts to contact the police
as soon as possible.”

Anyone
with any information is urged to contact their
local police station or ring Southern Communications
Centre on 0845 1 25 35 45.

CRIME PREVENTION BULLETIN

11/04/07

This is a message for everyone
within the Tarleton, Banks, Mere Brow and Hesketh
Bank area. Over the past week there have been
a number of thefts of bikes within this area.
The bikes stolen are motor-cross bikes and quad
bikes.

For these bikes to be stolen
will require a transit-size van. The police
are asking everyone to be vigilant for any suspicious
activity around premises where these type of
bikes are housed.

Please inform any of your neighbours
who have these bikes of these incidents and
remind them to review their security. The Police
are particularly keen to obtain the registration
numbers of any vehicles used in these offences.
If you see anything suspicious please inform
the Police immediately.

"BOGUS
OFFICIAL" BURGLARIES GET CLOSER

09/02/07

LANCASHIRE
CONSTABULARY SOUTHERN DIVISION PRESS RELEASE
On Thursday 8th Feb at 17.16hrs at Wellcross Road,
Upholland, two men called at elderly ladies house
saying there was damage to a water pipe and they
would have to seal off the water. There was a
people carrier outside the house with approx 5
further men inside. The two offenders entered
the house and went into each room asking the lady
to turn the water on and off. The lady has become
suspicious and rung her neighbour when the men
have disappeared out of her house saying they
would return in 15 minutes. After they had left
the lady noticed that draws and cupboards had
been opened. Offenders were described as one being
skinny and one being stocky, wearing denim jackets
and have left the scene in a dark couloured people
carrier style vehicle. No property was stolen
on this occasion.

On Monday 5th February at approx
16.00hrs an elderly lady in Collingwood Road
in Chorley had a sum of money stolen by a male
posing as a bogus workman. He held a conversation
with the lady before asking her to come to the
door where she let him in. The offender requested
the lady to remove valuables to a safe place
due to a building work inspection. He then went
upsatairs returning to the lounge where the
aggrieved had placed her valuables on the sofa.
He then distracted the lady stole the items
and made from the house. The offender os described
as a white male, clean shaven, with short dark
brown hair in his late 20's eary 30's wearing
a dark coloured jacket.

A property on Arcon Road in
Coppull was targeted at approx 13.30hrs on Wednesday
7th February when two males called at the property
saying they were from Enterprise. They had entered
via the entry door system which was unlocked
and entered the lady's kitchen. The offenders
were described as one was Irish with a dark
anorak and jeans on in his 20's and the second
male had a brown jacket on and was middle aged.

The fourth incident took place
at The Fields in Eccleston between 17.00hrs
and 17.30hrs yesterday - Thursday 8th February.
Three offenders posing as water board employees
have called at the aggrieved's premises. One
offender has gone into the kitchen with the
aggrieved to test the water whilst the other
two have entered the living room. The lady has
walked back into the living room and challenged
the two males - the first male has entered the
room and grabbed the aggrieved's wrists before
pushing her into a chair and threatening her
before making off with cash. The offenders were
described as looking like teenagers, one of
them is described as being about 15 with dark
coloured hair betwenn 5ft and 5ft 10 tall, clear
complexion weraing a bluey coloured uniform
- looked smart and clean looking with local
accent.

Anyone with any information
in relation to any of these incidents should
call call Southern Communications Centre on
0845 1 25 35 45 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555
111

RECYCLING CENTRE CLOSURE - UPDATE

11/01/06

Report
from West Lancs District Councillor James Kay:-
At a Lancashire County Council meeting yesterday
at which local Councillors Malcolm Barron and
William Cropper were present it was agreed that
no closures of any re-cycling facilities will
take place in the County area until a full review
of all the facilities in the whole County takes
place. It would appear that the Labour controlled
County Council have given in slightly to the
pressure from Conservative councillors at both
County and District level. It does not mean
that this facility will never close but Conservative
councillors will be keeping a watchful eye on
the situation.

LCC
councillor Malcom Barron spoke at the County
Hall meeting saying that there were 8 centres
that handled less waste than Rufford which deals
with 4,700 tonnes, 63% recycled and 75% of this
re used He invited members to visit the site.
He added "Residents in his area were horrified
at the proposal. If the centre is closed they
would have to travel to Burscough which is heavily
congested and the exit from Abbey Lane very
dangerous." He also felt that would increase
fly tipping possibly on the Rufford site.

Cty Cllr Atkinsons proposed that "rather
than close facilities we need to have a complete
review of the whole policy and look at all the
centres before coming to a decision." The
motion was passed unanimously.

Cllr
Malcolm Barron and Cllr William Cropper welcomed
the decision of the committee and expressed
gratitude for the support Cllr Francis Williams
who had also spoken about the difficulties of
access to the Burscough site. Malcolm added
"Common sense prevailed and that the motion
had all party support."

The
green policy of Lancashire County Council is
being challenged as a result of its proposal
to shut 3 of its 23 Household Waste Recycling
Centres as part of a cost cutting initiative.
The top performing facility at Rufford is one
of the three sites being targeted for closure.

The
Council has a statutory obligation to provide
these facilities under the Environment Protection
Act which stipulates that 'places be provided
at which persons resident in area may deposit
their household waste and that facilities should
be reasonably accessible to persons living in
the area'. Residents of Tarleton, Hesketh Bank,
North Meols and Rufford will be expected to
travel to the Abbey Road facility located on
the far side of Burscough. Estimates indicate
that even if each resident only makes only one
trip a year, the additional car miles incurred
will be approach 100,000 per annum.

Malcolm
Barron, Lancashire County Councillor for West
Lancashire North, told this website "I
am totally opposed to this closure proposed
by the Labour Controlled County Council. We
are all urged to respect the environment and
this retrograde proposal is a clear breach of
the councils supposed green policy, taken in
order to save a reputed £330k.

Rufford
waste recycling centre is a much used facility
and its closure will only increase fly tipping.
The alternative site involves traveling through
the already heavily congested Burscough. I and
the other Conservatives on the 'West Lancs Local'
oppose this measure and a motion was passed
accordingly.

We
are supposed to be moving into an enhanced two
tier system of local government and West Lancs
Local is an integral part. The leader of the
council, Hazel Harding, has stressed her commitment
to this. Is this proposal at such an early stage
an example of how the council means to respect
the new arrangements?"

Cllr
John Baldock, Portfolio Holder for Recycling
on West Lancashire District Council added "The
closure of this waste reception centre is down
to the Labour controlled County Council. Myself
and other councillors of West Lancs District
Council oppose this action which is due to cost
cutting excercises. We need the voice of local
people in the Northern Parishes to help us with
our campaign to stop the closure."

The
latest data available from the Council indicates
that the Rufford facility was one of the top
five performing recycling sites in Lancashire.
The facility managed to recycle or reuse over
75% of the 4,700 tonnes of waste which was left
there last year.

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